U.S. patent application number 12/516771 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-18 for snuff box.
Invention is credited to Tue Beijer, Niklas Bergstrom, Caroline Lofgreen-Ohrn.
Application Number | 20100065077 12/516771 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39468153 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100065077 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lofgreen-Ohrn; Caroline ; et
al. |
March 18, 2010 |
SNUFF BOX
Abstract
The invention relates to a snuff box comprising a lid (4) and a
bottom part (1a-c) rotatable relative to each other, and dividing
wall (2a, 2b) which divides the interior of the snuff box in two
volumes. The dividing wall (2a, 2b) is divided into a first
dividing wall part (2a) and a second dividing wall part (2b), which
are moveable relative to each other. The lid comprises a driving
element (6, 2b) arranged to shift one dividing wall part. The
driving element (6, 2b) may further be constituted by the second
dividing wall part (2b) itself. The invention further relates to
such a snuff box where the lid (4) is provided with two lid
portions (5a, 5b) which give separate access the two volumes that
the dividing wall separates the box into. In yet another version
the snuff box may further be provided with indicators (7) acting as
a volume indicator. These indicators may partially be constituted
by the driving element.
Inventors: |
Lofgreen-Ohrn; Caroline;
(Saltsjobaden, SE) ; Bergstrom; Niklas;
(Stockholm, SE) ; Beijer; Tue; (Stockholm,
SE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOLLAND & HART, LLP
P.O BOX 8749
DENVER
CO
80201
US
|
Family ID: |
39468153 |
Appl. No.: |
12/516771 |
Filed: |
November 28, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
November 28, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/SE2007/001046 |
371 Date: |
November 24, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/329 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 25/06 20130101;
A24F 23/00 20130101; B65D 2209/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/329 |
International
Class: |
A24F 23/00 20060101
A24F023/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 28, 2006 |
SE |
0602525-8 |
Claims
1. A snuff box comprising a lid (4) and a bottom part (1a-c)
rotatable relative to each other, a dividing wall (2a, 2b) arranged
to divide the interior of the snuff box in two volumes, where said
dividing wall (2a, 2b) is divided into a first dividing wall part
(2a) and a second dividing wall part (2b), which are moveable
relative to each other, characterised in that said lid comprises a
driving element (6, 2b) arranged to shift one dividing wall
part.
2. A snuff box according to claim 1, characterised in that said
driving element (6, 2b) is constituted by the second dividing wall
part (2b).
3. A snuff box according to claim 1, characterised in that said
snuff box is constituted by a first continuous piece of material
and a second continuous piece of material.
4. A snuff box according to claim 1, characterised in that said lid
(4) is provided with two lid portions (5a, 5b).
5. A snuff box according to claim 1 characterised in that said
snuff box further is provided with indicators (7) acting as a
volume indicator.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a snuff box according to
the introductory portions of the independent claims.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] When using snuff, and then in particular portion-packed
snuff, there is a need for snuff boxes with a separate volume
intended for used snuff. Snuff boxes with a fixed such volume is
today available on the market, but the storage space for used snuff
disadvantageously consumes part of the volume of the whole snuff
box. A way of circumventing this is to divide the snuff box in two
portions with a moveable separator and one of the earliest patents
relating to such snuff boxes is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No.
2,092,219. The snuff box comprises a lid, a bottom and a separator
constituted by two metal plates attached to each other by a hinge,
where the two parts are pressed against each other with a spring.
The design comprises a large number of components and is not well
suited for mass production. The spring action gives a varying
torque depending on how full the box is and may tend to
unintentionally compact the snuff at maximum torque and may be
unable to shift the metal plate at minimum torque.
[0003] An object of the invention is therefore to provide a snuff
box which makes production of such snuff boxes simpler.
[0004] Another object of the invention is therefore to provide a
snuff box which makes it possible to apply an appropriate torque to
the dividing wall when changing the volume intended for used
snuff.
[0005] These and other objects are attained by a snuff box
according to the characterising portions of the independent
claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The invention relates to a snuff box comprising a lid (4)
and a bottom part (1a-c) rotatable relative to each other, and
dividing wall (2a, 2b) arranged to divide the interior of the snuff
box in two volumes. The dividing wall (2a, 2b) is divided into a
first dividing wall part (2a) and a second dividing wall part (2b),
which are moveable relative to each other. The lid advantageously
comprises a driving element (6, 2b) arranged to shift one dividing
wall part. The driving element (6, 2b) may further be constituted
by the second dividing wall part (2b) itself.
[0007] The snuff box has the advantage that it may be constituted
by a first continuous piece of material and a second continuous
piece of material, as opposed to previous solution that needs more
than two elements.
[0008] The invention further relates to such a snuff box where the
lid (4) is provided with two lid portions (5a, 5b) which
advantageously give separate access the two volumes that the
dividing wall separates the box into. In yet another version the
snuff box may further be provided with indicators (7) acting as a
volume indicator. These indicators may advantageously partially be
constituted by the driving element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the snuff box bottom part
seen from above
[0010] FIG. 2 shows the first embodiment of the snuff box bottom
part seen at an oblique angle from above
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a lid with a single opening of the first
embodiment
[0012] FIG. 4 shows a lid with dual openings of the first
embodiment
[0013] FIG. 5 shows the first embodiment of the snuff box seen from
the side
[0014] FIG. 6 shows the first embodiment of the snuff box seen from
above
[0015] FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the snuff box bottom
part seen from above
[0016] FIG. 8 shows the second embodiment of the snuff box bottom
part seen at an oblique angle from above
[0017] FIG. 9 shows a lid with a single opening of the second
embodiment
[0018] FIG. 10 shows a lid with dual openings of the second
embodiment
[0019] FIG. 11 shows the second embodiment of the snuff box with
indicators
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the snuff box
bottom part 1a seen from above and at an oblique angle from above,
respectively. The bottom part 1a is essentially cylindrical with a
covered bottom and is adapted for receiving a lid. In the bottom
part 1a is a dividing wall 2a, 2b with two halves arranged, a fixed
dividing wall part 2a and a moveable dividing wall part 2b. The
fixed dividing wall part 2a is a plane piece of material that
extends from the cylinder wall towards the box centre and is
fixedly arranged in this position. From the centre axis of the box
a moveable dividing wall part 2b extends towards the cylinder wall.
The moveable dividing wall part 2b is attached to the moveable, but
in such a way that it can be pivoted relative to that.
[0021] On the cylinder wall interior a number of recesses 3 are
arranged and a protruding portion of the moveable dividing wall
part 2b is normally placed in one of these recesses. If the
moveable dividing wall part is made to rotate around the centre
axis of the box, it tends to move in a step-wise fashion from
recess to recess, and unloaded it is locked in one of these
recesses.
[0022] The dividing wall 2a, 2b separates the box in two separate
volumes, one intended for used snuff and the other for unused
snuff. At purchase, the dividing wall may be arranged such that the
volume intended for unused snuff is maximized and filled with
snuff. As the snuff is consumed this volume is emptied and the
portion for used snuff may be extended by shifting the position of
the dividing wall 2b.
[0023] To separate access to the two volumes in a natural way, the
box is provided with a lid 4 with one 5a or two lid parts 5a, 5b.
The lid parts 5a, 5b may be opened without the lid in its entirety
being removed and then access is given to one of the two volumes.
In FIGS. 2-4 is shown the two versions of lids with one (FIG. 3) or
two (FIG. 4) openings of the first embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 5 shows the first embodiment of the snuff box where the
lid is provided with a driving mechanism 6 that acts on the
moveable dividing wall part 2b. FIG. 6 shows the first embodiment
of the snuff box where the lid is provided with an alternative
driving mechanism 6 and a volume indicator 7. The volume indicator
7 is constituted by a somewhat protruding line which initially runs
along both the snuff box bottom part and lid, but as the lid is
rotated relative to the bottom part, the distance between the line
on the lid and the line on the bottom part indicates the remaining
space of the box.
[0025] FIGS. 7-8 shows a second embodiment of the snuff box bottom
part seen from above and from above at an oblique angle. FIGS. 9-10
show a lid of the second embodiment with a single opening and dual
openings, respectively. In the second embodiment of the snuff box
the two dividing wall parts 2a, 2b are arranged such that the
dividing wall part 2a, which is fixedly attached to the bottom
part, is not attached to the moveable dividing wall part 2b, but
instead the relative to the bottom part moveable dividing wall part
2b is fixedly attached to the lid. When the lid is pushed onto the
bottom part, the moveable dividing wall part 2b, which is fixedly
attached to the lid, is positioned such that it extends from the
centre axis of the bottom part towards the cylinder wall in the
same way as in the first embodiment described above. By turning the
lid relative to the bottom part, the ratio between the two volumes
is changed. It may also be advantageous for this embodiment that
the lid has a peg 8 arranged around the centre axis which, when the
box is assembled, extends towards the bottom part and is received
there by a steering element around which the peg may rotate.
[0026] FIG. 11 shows the second embodiment of the snuff box where
the lid and the bottom part are provided on their exteriors with
indicators. These are appropriately positioned against each other
by production and as the two volumes change ratio the indicator on
the lid indicates how the ratio between the two volumes have
changed by turning the lid relative to the bottom part. In this
simplified illustration of the second embodiment the openings in
the lid are not shown and any version of the openings in the lid
may be used.
* * * * *